Policy

1. Definitions:
   1. Lock Date is the date the university will assess enrollment for the purpose of triggering threshold requirements.
      1. For Winter Term, the lock date is the Friday of the Fall semester final exam week.
      2. For Summer Term, the lock date is 15 calendar days prior to the first day of class. 
   2. Enrollment thresholds are reviewed annually by the Provost and are subject to change at the university’s discretion.  
      1. Run/cancel threshold: the number of enrollments required on the lock date for the course to run.
         • Courses with enrollment under that number on or before the lock date will be canceled, with limited exceptions at the request of the Divisional Dean and approved at the Provost’s discretion.
         • Courses with a designated capacity fewer than the run/cancel threshold must be approved by the Divisional Dean and the Provost before being scheduled.
      2. Full enrollment threshold: the number of enrollments required for full instructor compensation, subject to the limits set in the CBA.
      3. Low enrolled course: any course that runs with fewer students than the full enrollment threshold. Compensation for these courses will be made in accordance with the CBA.
      4. Discretionary threshold: Divisional Deans, at their discretion, may cancel non-essential courses with enrollment under the discretionary threshold on or before the lock date.
         • Non-essential course: Each Divisional Dean will determine and publish the criteria for a course to be considered ‘non-essential’ prior to course assignments and ensure consistent application across the division.
2. Compensation:
   1. Teaching assignments during the Summer and Winter Terms, outside of the instructor’s normal assigned teaching load, shall be compensated at the following minimum rates per credit at full enrollment, as determined by the academic division, up to maximums of $20,000 for Oxford Campus and $10,000 for Regional Campuses, per course: i.
      1. Regional Campuses: 3% per credit
      2. Oxford Campus: 3% per credit
   2. Instructors teaching low enrolled courses will be compensated at an equivalent proportion of the 3% per credit rate, or $1025 per credit, whichever is greater.
      1. This calculation is based on actual enrollment numbers on the lock date using the proportional pay formula and is not based on categories (moderate, low, minimum).
      2. Low enrolled courses under the run/cancel threshold that are approved as an exception will be prorated based on the number of students, unless previously agreed to in writing with the Dean.
   3. Low Enrolled Compensation will be calculated using the lock date enrollment number, and not less than that calculation, even if enrollment declines. If enrollment decreases after the lock date, instructor pay is not reduced. If enrollment increases, instructor pay will be increased up to the full enrollment calculation.
      1. To assess whether a pay increase is warranted due to post–lock date enrollment growth, an enrollment report will be run the day after the online add/drop period ends.
      2.  If enrollment increases after the lock date, the department may either:
         1. Submit the initial pay action using the highest enrollment number for pay calculation; OR,
         2. Submit a supplemental pay action for the increased amount over what was initially submitted.
3. Low Enrolled Notice:
   1. A ‘low enrolled notice’ will be sent to instructors assigned to teach a summer/winter term course that is below the full enrollment threshold on the lock date. 
   2. Chairs will send the notice to those instructors by 5pm on the next business day after the lock date. 
   3. Instructors will have forty-eight hours to accept or decline to teach those low enrolled courses.
   4. Declined courses may be canceled or offered to another instructor at the Chairs’ election.
4. Course cancelation: Summer and Winter Term courses are designated as “enrollment contingent” (run/cancel). Cancellation will be communicated to the instructor and enrolled students as soon as practical. At the Divisional Dean’s discretion, courses may be canceled before the lock date.
5. Conditions of Assignment:
   1. The terms and conditions of the instructor’s current faculty appointment governs their Summer/Winter Term teaching assignment. Summer and Winter Term instructional staff will receive an acknowledgement of assignment when the course is scheduled.
   2. Chairs, in consultation with the Dean, will select the courses to be offered during Summer and Winter term to meet the needs of the students, department, and college.
   3. Chairs will first offer summer and winter term courses to faculty in good standing who have met expectations in all areas of evaluation and are well suited to provide successful instruction.
   4. Faculty members may not be required to teach during the Summer or Winter Term.
   5. The University does not permit the use of “guaranteed” Summer or Winter Term teaching as a recruiting inducement.
   6. During the winter term, faculty may not teach more than four formal course credits.
      1. Winter workshops may be exempt from the four-credit maximum; these exceptions are evaluated in the workshop approval process.
      2. Other exceptions to the four-credit hour limit may only be made when there is high demand for an additional course or section of a course and no other faculty are available and willing to teach that course other than those already scheduled to teach a single section of a winter course.
      3. These exceptions must be approved by the instructor’s Dean and the Provost.
6. Specialized Programs whose operation would be negatively impacted by the expectations in this policy may request and receive exemption, in whole or in part, from this policy. Such exemptions will be issued, in writing, and made at the Provost’s discretion. Exemptions must otherwise comply with federal and state law and the collective bargaining agreement.

Related Form(s)

Additional Resources and Procedures

FAQ

Policy Administration

Next Review Date

July 2030

Responsible Officers

Legal Authority

ORC 4117

Compliance Policy

Recent Revision History

 Amended July 2020, Revised December 2025